Life is hard. There are many struggles, so many emotions, heart breaks! But there are also a victory which can be eternally claimed only through Jesus Christ the Lamb that was slained! 1 Cor 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Many people wonder why they suffer so much in their lives, why they cant sleep at night, or why when they do everything right things don't go their way! The bigger question is can somebody save you from your misery, desperation and/or hopelessness? The answer is Yes! The Lost (everybody who does not have Christ) longs for something they cannot describe! There is a gaping hole they have in their heart that they try to fill with worldly things (partying, drunkeness, girlfriends/boyfriends). The absolute truth is that you can only fill it with GOD the almighty! Everything else will fade away and is only a temporary solution to a permanent problem! This is why people seek experiences that make them feel "alive": Bunjijumping, exercising, climbing a mountain, skydiving, sex, skydiving, scubadiving, and any other athletic activity! When you give your life to Christ and get right with God he will open your spiritual eyes to see the LOST! The reason why humanity has these confused looks on their faces is because We are broken and need a savior!
Jesus is the living water. John 4:13-14 13 Jesus answered and said unto her, "Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again, 14but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." After people drink from the well of everlasting life they will never drink from the things of this world because it wont satisfy their thirst! Jesus can satisfy our thirst! This leads me to my next point! People will hunger and thirst after Christ when they see us living lives SOLD OUT (all for) for Christ, my Pastor spoke about this (our lifetsyles must make people thirsty)! What do I mean by this? What I mean is, that when most of the words that come out of our mouths are more things about Christ's love and the gospel rather than Lil waynes song or the next Iphone and when we are choosing to go to a youth revival rather than a club! People (particularly The youth) must come to the realization that they are missing something and are not complete.
The young generation wants something real they don't want anything fake as a man of GOD told me! Jesus called us the Light of the world (Matt 5:14) We cannot be the light and still be in darkness (clubs, strip clubs, drunkeness, premarital sex)! When we are truly the Light and separate ourselves from the world, people will begin to wonder what does this person have/do that is so much better or fulfilling than what I and the rest of society does/has? 1 John 1: This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth. Walking in the light, pouring our hearts out at the feet of Jesus, and living a life of Holiness (one that is glorifying God) will create a thirst in people that will make them wonder about the deeper questions in life: what am I on earth for, what happens after we die, how can I impact other people's lives while I'm alive? The only way to get people to wonder, question, and thirst is to have a genuine relationship with Jesus Christ and a true hunger for HIM! We cant make people hungry if we are not hungry!
People will hunger and thirst because he is the Living water (John 4:13-14) and the Bread of Life (John 6:35 And Jesus said unto them, "I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst." In order to draw people to Christ we have to make them thirsty with our lifestyles! Maybe its the joy that we have, or the unconditional love we demonstrate, or the zeal or the ability to forgive! In addition, devotion to God: Prayer, reading the Bible, fasting, and worship... will strengthen and give power to our testimony! The Boldness to share the gospel will also make people thirsty! They will ask themselves what is so important that a stranger stopped me to tell me something in NYC where most people don't even want to say hi! The peace we have will make people thirsty as well! Your compassion for others will make people thirsty!
Since out of the heart comes, life Proverbs 4:23 "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life". When we accept Jesus into our heart he gives us a new LIFE! Through this New Life we show people what it means to be Born Again! We have new desires: we see, hear, walk, talk, and act different! Jesus can heal all the wounds we have in our hearts! In Order to receive anointing we must surrender all to Jesus and let Him take control! That is the only way the deaf will be able to hear and the Blind will be able to see! We need to display the power of the gospel and of Christ! How do we do that , through our lifestyles! People may not accept you or even abandon you but will never forget how Christ has changed your life and how you are a whole new person!
Christ can offer a new Life! Romans 6:4 "Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
Today, Christ can offer you a new life life. He has done it for me! All you have to do is say sorry for living a life of Rebellion against God, repent, ask for forgiveness, and acknowledge that Jesus was crucified, died for our sins, and rose again! Then accept him as your personal Lord and savior! Its a simple prayer that will Go a LONG WAY and change your life for eternity!
Let us continue to lay our lives down, carry our crosses daily, and pour our lives out for Jesus Christ! I promise you this generation will become thirsty and revival will break out! A Christ Revolution is imminent! Are you going to be part of it?
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Monday, September 19, 2011
Trust in Him II
I was a bit confused and a bit mad at God for leading me on, but by the end of the week I figured it was all part of God's bigger plan and that it wasn't my time for medical school; I wasnt mad at GOD anymore! After that day I was just readjusting to life in the US and realized how spoiled people are and how ungrateful most people are in the US. After the readjustment I continued to go to Times Square Church and meet with people who needed guidance! Ever since the Mission trip and even before I have served as a counselor/mentor for many people in the faith who know and love God or others who are honestly seeking him! I have been told various times that I should be a pastor and although I have denied those claims or possible promises from God but the Lord hasn't spoken to me directly about that! Albeit, I know I can be a pastor and still practice medicine! I have a strong desire to grow his kingdom and a devotion to Jesus Christ! I just don't know what the Lord wants to do with them as of yet, but I'm still confused!
Whatever it is though, Im ready, we have many disparities in our urban communities and I want to intervene as far as college placement and mentoring is concerned! I'm ready to be a vessel for the Lord! I do know this: whether I will be a youth Pastor, an evangelist, or doctor, I will pour out my all at the foot of the Cross! I know Jesus will change the people I interact with forever. I want to dive into the WORD like never before and learn more about the LORD and receive the blessings that the Lord has in store for me! I am building my faith so when the trials come in ministry I will stay standing and that my foundation is rock solid which will prevent me from being deceived!
God has ruled sovereign and will continue to do so! I am looking to establish a Bible study in my house to fulfill the need for some of my friends and new converts or people that are looking to grow in Christ and need a word of encouragement! I must seek deep intimacy with Him and my desires need to be aligned with His desires in order to discover my destiny in His eyes! IN this journey staying the course is tough and time after time I have encountered perilous waters but the Lord calms those waters and manages to get me through the storm! I would love to fix my eyes on HIM and to love everybody regardless if they get along with me or not! I will continue to seek Him and to trust that HE will make a way or direct my paths!
Prayer: Lord we thank you and bless your name for everything you are! You have come as a man to become our sin on the cross. You are strong and mighty, LORD! Father please give us the patience and steadfastness, faith, hope, and direction! I know You have a calling on my life I just don't know what it is yet! We worship you for who YOU are and are amazed and your wonders and glory! Help us to grow closer to you so that we can lean your will for our life! Give me a passion for your people and a fervent desire to grow in your WORD! I love you LORD! You said you will never leave me nor forsake me, I trust that WORD! reveal yourself to me again and also to my loved ones! IN the mighty, precious, beautiful, name of Jesus, IN Jesus Name we Pray AMEN!
Whatever it is though, Im ready, we have many disparities in our urban communities and I want to intervene as far as college placement and mentoring is concerned! I'm ready to be a vessel for the Lord! I do know this: whether I will be a youth Pastor, an evangelist, or doctor, I will pour out my all at the foot of the Cross! I know Jesus will change the people I interact with forever. I want to dive into the WORD like never before and learn more about the LORD and receive the blessings that the Lord has in store for me! I am building my faith so when the trials come in ministry I will stay standing and that my foundation is rock solid which will prevent me from being deceived!
God has ruled sovereign and will continue to do so! I am looking to establish a Bible study in my house to fulfill the need for some of my friends and new converts or people that are looking to grow in Christ and need a word of encouragement! I must seek deep intimacy with Him and my desires need to be aligned with His desires in order to discover my destiny in His eyes! IN this journey staying the course is tough and time after time I have encountered perilous waters but the Lord calms those waters and manages to get me through the storm! I would love to fix my eyes on HIM and to love everybody regardless if they get along with me or not! I will continue to seek Him and to trust that HE will make a way or direct my paths!
Prayer: Lord we thank you and bless your name for everything you are! You have come as a man to become our sin on the cross. You are strong and mighty, LORD! Father please give us the patience and steadfastness, faith, hope, and direction! I know You have a calling on my life I just don't know what it is yet! We worship you for who YOU are and are amazed and your wonders and glory! Help us to grow closer to you so that we can lean your will for our life! Give me a passion for your people and a fervent desire to grow in your WORD! I love you LORD! You said you will never leave me nor forsake me, I trust that WORD! reveal yourself to me again and also to my loved ones! IN the mighty, precious, beautiful, name of Jesus, IN Jesus Name we Pray AMEN!
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Trust in Him I
Matt 7:13-14 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
[14] Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
I have reached a division in my life! Its a road that diverges and I must choose a path! This past year I was at Stony Brook getting my Masters and I had the privilege of being part of BASIC a campus ministry! As a new believer in Christ I had a lot of questions, confusion, temptations, and no support system! I could feel the devil attempting to destroy my testimony but above it all the almighty GOD kept me from the fire and delivered me from the pit! Everything happened for a reason and was perfect in its time! I had desired Christian friends and was totally isolated from the world in hopes of escaping temptation. God gave me the grace to sustain myself during this period of no Christian fellowship! I learned a lot about myself, God's children, His love, mercy and grace. I learned about mission trips and still remember the people who ministered in BASIC! I was inspired by the stories that I heard and the people that I met! But most importantly I appreciated the Love and affection that was offered by the people in the club(ministry)! A couple of days after my 1st meeting in BASIC with a girl in the meeting and it was a great pleasure to find out these people really CARED ABOUT ME! Instead of paying taxis, I would get rides home from (who is now) my close friend.
BASIC became my family while I was there! I grew spiritually and prospered. I never expected that simply being a member of a club would open doors for my future career and opportunities to travel! Through BASIC I was bale to impact lives! Many young Christian men sought me for advice! I loved mentoring so me filling that void was meant to be!
Now the Academic aspect of my year at Stony Brook had its trials! More than one time I was on the brink of failing a test or a class but by God's grace I was able to pass those classes/exams. The Masters I did was linked with the medical school! After all the challenges and close calls during the school year I still fulfilled the minimum GPA requirement but still had to fulfill the MCAT requirement! I took the MCAT in January 2011 and earned a 24 MCAT which is the score they required, however I fell short in one section by 2 points! So I retook it after I finished school in late June! However I went to Nigeria in Mid July and I left a couple of days before I received my score. I could have checked my results in Nigeria but I didn't want to get distracted from God's work and mess up my Missionary trip. Well when I returned from Nigeria with so much zeal the first thing I did was check my score. I checked one section first and saw a 5, then looked at the total score and was completely blown away. I was disgusted, ashamed, shocked, and felt like a failure and feelings of inadequacy began to sink IN!
[14] Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
I have reached a division in my life! Its a road that diverges and I must choose a path! This past year I was at Stony Brook getting my Masters and I had the privilege of being part of BASIC a campus ministry! As a new believer in Christ I had a lot of questions, confusion, temptations, and no support system! I could feel the devil attempting to destroy my testimony but above it all the almighty GOD kept me from the fire and delivered me from the pit! Everything happened for a reason and was perfect in its time! I had desired Christian friends and was totally isolated from the world in hopes of escaping temptation. God gave me the grace to sustain myself during this period of no Christian fellowship! I learned a lot about myself, God's children, His love, mercy and grace. I learned about mission trips and still remember the people who ministered in BASIC! I was inspired by the stories that I heard and the people that I met! But most importantly I appreciated the Love and affection that was offered by the people in the club(ministry)! A couple of days after my 1st meeting in BASIC with a girl in the meeting and it was a great pleasure to find out these people really CARED ABOUT ME! Instead of paying taxis, I would get rides home from (who is now) my close friend.
BASIC became my family while I was there! I grew spiritually and prospered. I never expected that simply being a member of a club would open doors for my future career and opportunities to travel! Through BASIC I was bale to impact lives! Many young Christian men sought me for advice! I loved mentoring so me filling that void was meant to be!
Now the Academic aspect of my year at Stony Brook had its trials! More than one time I was on the brink of failing a test or a class but by God's grace I was able to pass those classes/exams. The Masters I did was linked with the medical school! After all the challenges and close calls during the school year I still fulfilled the minimum GPA requirement but still had to fulfill the MCAT requirement! I took the MCAT in January 2011 and earned a 24 MCAT which is the score they required, however I fell short in one section by 2 points! So I retook it after I finished school in late June! However I went to Nigeria in Mid July and I left a couple of days before I received my score. I could have checked my results in Nigeria but I didn't want to get distracted from God's work and mess up my Missionary trip. Well when I returned from Nigeria with so much zeal the first thing I did was check my score. I checked one section first and saw a 5, then looked at the total score and was completely blown away. I was disgusted, ashamed, shocked, and felt like a failure and feelings of inadequacy began to sink IN!
Friday, September 16, 2011
Crucifying the Flesh II
Moreover being in the flesh can have some harsh consequences whether its damaging a relationship or falling into sexual temptation! The Lust of the Flesh is a tool the enemy uses to stifle self control! Whenever we let our guard down and stop praying, our worldly thoughts, ways, and worse off the Lust of the Flesh creeps up as the prince of the AIR swoops in, takes over, and attempts to quench the Holy Ghost! Recently I met with a female and my emotions got out of hand because of the way we interacted! When I was in the world I used to seek girl's love for validation as I was insecure! Satan saw this as an opportunity to keep me bound to the things the Lord delivered me from! I saw that the girl might have shown interest and my emotions began growing, however I was fulfilling the desires of the flesh that were in opposition to God! Proverbs 4:23 "Keep your heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life". It is crucial for us to keep our hearts because life emanates from it just as well as it can give way to temptation. Mathew 15:19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. When I am not vigilant over my heart and all the emotions that spring from it, it will affect how I act. Dring this vulnerable state while my guard was down I behaved irrationally and said things I should not have said. Because my mind was not renewed by the Word of God and the flesh overrode the Spirit I let my feelings get the best of me! Self control is one of the most important aspects to living a Christ centered life!
I learned so much from crucifying the deeds of the Body! Being sober-minded not only grounds you in firmness of faith but brings you closer to the Lord! Moreover one you are strongly rooted, you will be well equipped to preach the gospel and draw people near to Christ! As long as we are filled with the Holy Ghost and fix our eyes on Christ people will begin to thirst for the kingdom and our desire to get closer to the Lord and to serve him will grow! Prayer: Lord before we were slaves to sin Please make us slaves to righteousness and give us the strength to fight the lust of the flesh and the passions of our sinful nature! We thank YOU for pouring down your love upon us and showing us your grace and mercy! Please keep our minds purified and maintain us as sanctified Vessels! May we pursue holiness and righteousness with all our heart! We are ambassadors for Christ, now we must live like it!
Galatians 5:24 "And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. We must sacrifice the flesh in order to gain the Kingdom."
Galatians 6:17 "From now on let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus."
I learned so much from crucifying the deeds of the Body! Being sober-minded not only grounds you in firmness of faith but brings you closer to the Lord! Moreover one you are strongly rooted, you will be well equipped to preach the gospel and draw people near to Christ! As long as we are filled with the Holy Ghost and fix our eyes on Christ people will begin to thirst for the kingdom and our desire to get closer to the Lord and to serve him will grow! Prayer: Lord before we were slaves to sin Please make us slaves to righteousness and give us the strength to fight the lust of the flesh and the passions of our sinful nature! We thank YOU for pouring down your love upon us and showing us your grace and mercy! Please keep our minds purified and maintain us as sanctified Vessels! May we pursue holiness and righteousness with all our heart! We are ambassadors for Christ, now we must live like it!
Galatians 5:24 "And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. We must sacrifice the flesh in order to gain the Kingdom."
Galatians 6:17 "From now on let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus."
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Crucifying the Flesh I
As a Christian my walk everyday is a battle and the flesh is in constant warfare with the body! Before I came to Christ sin was regular and I didn't view it as sin, I just viewed it as society viewed it: fun, normal behavior, and circumstantial! Although my sinful nature is inherited, it is purified by the blood of lamb! My carnal desires are driven by adultery, envy, greed, anger, strife etc.! Romans 8:13 "for if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. This scripture speaks about killing the flesh in order to live! Death resides in fulfilling the lust of the flesh!
Whenever we quench the spirit, our flesh begins to rise up! Looking at a girls body and thinking sexual thoughts is already committing a sin through our thoughts which is why we renew our mind with the Word! In addition in Corinthians it says we have the mind of Christ! Christ has made us conquerors and he already claimed the victory! However most people don't know this and believe that we are defenseless against a bondage to our sinful thoughts, acts, and the devil's ploys. 1 John2:16 "For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world." In the Word of God we are told that we are called to be separate from the world and that our citizenship is in heaven! We are called to be consecrated for the Lord and be sanctified through the Holy Spirit! In order for us to be anointed and enter the Most Holy Place we must be clean and be purified, holy, and blameless before HIM! Although we still falter and have flaws! However if you want to receive all the blessings that the Lord has in store for us we must walk in the truth and speak it as well, live as slaves to righteousness! He wants to use us but when we defile the temple of the Holy Ghost we prevent the Lord from using us mightily! The pastor at Times Square Church said that when we live our lives people must Thirst for God and wonder whats so different about us! When we preach the gospel or speak the Word we want people to be engaged and we also want some miracles to happen! The only way the deaf ears and blind eyes are opened is through preaching the Word but you must be anointed if you want people's hearts to be opened and get convicted when you speak, to plant a firm seed, or lead people to Christ!
Whenever we quench the spirit, our flesh begins to rise up! Looking at a girls body and thinking sexual thoughts is already committing a sin through our thoughts which is why we renew our mind with the Word! In addition in Corinthians it says we have the mind of Christ! Christ has made us conquerors and he already claimed the victory! However most people don't know this and believe that we are defenseless against a bondage to our sinful thoughts, acts, and the devil's ploys. 1 John2:16 "For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world." In the Word of God we are told that we are called to be separate from the world and that our citizenship is in heaven! We are called to be consecrated for the Lord and be sanctified through the Holy Spirit! In order for us to be anointed and enter the Most Holy Place we must be clean and be purified, holy, and blameless before HIM! Although we still falter and have flaws! However if you want to receive all the blessings that the Lord has in store for us we must walk in the truth and speak it as well, live as slaves to righteousness! He wants to use us but when we defile the temple of the Holy Ghost we prevent the Lord from using us mightily! The pastor at Times Square Church said that when we live our lives people must Thirst for God and wonder whats so different about us! When we preach the gospel or speak the Word we want people to be engaged and we also want some miracles to happen! The only way the deaf ears and blind eyes are opened is through preaching the Word but you must be anointed if you want people's hearts to be opened and get convicted when you speak, to plant a firm seed, or lead people to Christ!
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Trip to Nigeria II
Backtracking now, we arrived in Abuja airport when we landed in Nigeria, spent a few days in Enugu, Port Hacourt,and Jos. Before we went to Osunu village we went to a local university in Godfrey Okoye University Enugu where Uncle George (missionary leader, pastor, and biotechnologist) delivered a lecture on Genetics. He also taught a group of Junior Biochemistry majors about basic Genetics and one of our missionaries (Chioma) taught them basic lab techniques such as DNA extraction and Gel electrophoresis. The governor of Enugu state and the president of the university stopped by the lab. It was amazing to see the transformation over 2 days. The first day they could barely hold pippettes {lab instruments} and the next day they knew how to perform PCR {polymerase chain reaction} (fundamental lab technique) on their own. This was an awesome opportunity to minister to the college students. Two people gave their lives to Christ!
Later on that weekend Auntie Ude (missionary Leader, wife of uncle George, and Nurse practitioner) delivered a lecture on Breast Cancer. We left Enugu and traveled to Port Harcort where we visited some family and stayed at a friends house. From there we flew back to Abuja and then drove to Jos. Recently Jos had some Christian-Muslim conflicts where they were bombing churches and killing Christians. Although most people pleaded us not to go we confided in the Lord and had faith that the Lord would protect us from all harm. Our missionay leader was bold and lived a lufe for God: it was total self denial. The Lord literally delivered us form teh mouth of a Lon at Jos we had the blessed opportunity of touring the Faith Alive Hospital: A Non profit organization founded by Brother Chris who studied and Case Western and went back to Nigeria to serve. The organization offers free medical care for the surrounding community in Jos. They have a free HIV clinic, social work, pharmacy, surgery, OB-GYN and regular general physicians. I was fortunate enough to witness 3 surgeries:2 herniographies and 1 herniotomy! It was amazing because patients prayed before their surgeries and the doctors did as well! The faith the patients demonstrated was startling! They barely had local anesthesia to use for the patients. So they numbed the area and sometimes the anesthesia would wear off and the patients would feel the excruciating pain and scream! There were no big lights and no machines to detect the vitals except a blood pressure cuff. In addition there was an aluminum bed tray that the patients layed on with a cover for the patients body and that was it. The resources were scarce but the surgeon was a woman of God and she operated with so much grace and seemed so happy to serve her people. She inspired me to give back to a developing country when I become a trained medical professional! So then we left Jos and went back to Abuja!
We went back to Abuja and attended a youth conference on Saturday which was really cool. Uncle George preached a sermon, His kids and Idara (other college student and aspiring Physician assistant) sang a song, Idara ministered a solo spoken word, and Chioma delivered an exhortation (minisermon)! The youth seemed really engaged and some went to the altar call and accepted Christ! I pray and hope that the Lord touched their hearts! The last day(Sunday) before we left we went to an orphanage in Abuja I believe. The orphanage housed orphans, mentally ill, HIV patients, street boys and street girls(young teens that run away from home and live in abandoned buildings). Nuns ran the orphanage and you could see ghe love of Christ in them. They really cared for the orphans. We brought toys and other gifts for the orphanage. I would have loved to spend more time in the orphanage but the schedule did not allow! Then we visited Pastor Gary's house (college friend of Uncle George). After that we went back to the mission guest house and got some rest before departing in the morning!
The vision Uncle George is to help Nigeria expand their exports by genetic engineering and cultivation of certain crops. He also wants to teach his community and the country of Nigeria how to sustain themselves, train Nigerian professionals that will travel to the US and establish themselves, come back to Nigeria, help rebuild the country and spread the vision of redesigning Africa! We traveled from Nigeria to the UK and from the UK back to the US. During the trip back home I meditated on the journey and was convinced that I would never forget the experience and that no experience I ever had either home or abroad could compare! It was truly an eye-opening experience that made me realize all the amenities and resources I have in the US. In addition it proved to me that God brings hope to those who are in despair, he transforms people, and that he is powerful, mighty, majestic, performs Miracles whenever he wants to, and He will protect in you in your darkest hour and when you are most vulnerable! I want to thank all the saints (Christians) who helped us while we were in Nigeria, gave us shelter, food, love, and warm welcomes! I will never forget any of the breathren I met while in Nigeria and you will remain in my prayers! God Bless you and may the Lord continue to prosper you until we meet again!
Ruth 2:12
May the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge, reward you fully for what you have done
Later on that weekend Auntie Ude (missionary Leader, wife of uncle George, and Nurse practitioner) delivered a lecture on Breast Cancer. We left Enugu and traveled to Port Harcort where we visited some family and stayed at a friends house. From there we flew back to Abuja and then drove to Jos. Recently Jos had some Christian-Muslim conflicts where they were bombing churches and killing Christians. Although most people pleaded us not to go we confided in the Lord and had faith that the Lord would protect us from all harm. Our missionay leader was bold and lived a lufe for God: it was total self denial. The Lord literally delivered us form teh mouth of a Lon at Jos we had the blessed opportunity of touring the Faith Alive Hospital: A Non profit organization founded by Brother Chris who studied and Case Western and went back to Nigeria to serve. The organization offers free medical care for the surrounding community in Jos. They have a free HIV clinic, social work, pharmacy, surgery, OB-GYN and regular general physicians. I was fortunate enough to witness 3 surgeries:2 herniographies and 1 herniotomy! It was amazing because patients prayed before their surgeries and the doctors did as well! The faith the patients demonstrated was startling! They barely had local anesthesia to use for the patients. So they numbed the area and sometimes the anesthesia would wear off and the patients would feel the excruciating pain and scream! There were no big lights and no machines to detect the vitals except a blood pressure cuff. In addition there was an aluminum bed tray that the patients layed on with a cover for the patients body and that was it. The resources were scarce but the surgeon was a woman of God and she operated with so much grace and seemed so happy to serve her people. She inspired me to give back to a developing country when I become a trained medical professional! So then we left Jos and went back to Abuja!
We went back to Abuja and attended a youth conference on Saturday which was really cool. Uncle George preached a sermon, His kids and Idara (other college student and aspiring Physician assistant) sang a song, Idara ministered a solo spoken word, and Chioma delivered an exhortation (minisermon)! The youth seemed really engaged and some went to the altar call and accepted Christ! I pray and hope that the Lord touched their hearts! The last day(Sunday) before we left we went to an orphanage in Abuja I believe. The orphanage housed orphans, mentally ill, HIV patients, street boys and street girls(young teens that run away from home and live in abandoned buildings). Nuns ran the orphanage and you could see ghe love of Christ in them. They really cared for the orphans. We brought toys and other gifts for the orphanage. I would have loved to spend more time in the orphanage but the schedule did not allow! Then we visited Pastor Gary's house (college friend of Uncle George). After that we went back to the mission guest house and got some rest before departing in the morning!
The vision Uncle George is to help Nigeria expand their exports by genetic engineering and cultivation of certain crops. He also wants to teach his community and the country of Nigeria how to sustain themselves, train Nigerian professionals that will travel to the US and establish themselves, come back to Nigeria, help rebuild the country and spread the vision of redesigning Africa! We traveled from Nigeria to the UK and from the UK back to the US. During the trip back home I meditated on the journey and was convinced that I would never forget the experience and that no experience I ever had either home or abroad could compare! It was truly an eye-opening experience that made me realize all the amenities and resources I have in the US. In addition it proved to me that God brings hope to those who are in despair, he transforms people, and that he is powerful, mighty, majestic, performs Miracles whenever he wants to, and He will protect in you in your darkest hour and when you are most vulnerable! I want to thank all the saints (Christians) who helped us while we were in Nigeria, gave us shelter, food, love, and warm welcomes! I will never forget any of the breathren I met while in Nigeria and you will remain in my prayers! God Bless you and may the Lord continue to prosper you until we meet again!
Ruth 2:12
May the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge, reward you fully for what you have done
Trip to Nigeria I
The Road is bumpy in the back of my mind I wondered if we would make it in one piece! As we approach our destination I was thinking to myself I haven't seen this many potholes since the Bronx. The natural rocks and the abundant greenery has formed picturesque scenery, man it looks like its straight out of a catalogue. The air has left a fragrance of incense! I saw a goat on the side of the road. As I noticed the faded red cross on a stone building I figured it was a hospital. Then reality hit me when I saw the sign that said Osunu Village, I woke up and told myself DUDE you are in Nigeria lol!
Although my trip didnt start there, these were one of the many adventures I had while in Nigeria. It was a whole new world, with new people, new customs, new culture, new politics, new social norms, new foods, and best of all a new faith experience! Before going to Nigeria I had many expectations and desires for the trip however I had no idea of how Powerful God was. Matter of fact prior to this year I did not think He could move the way He does. Ever since I accepted Jesus as my Lord in Savior (last summer) He has been doing incredible things in my life! He brought me out of the captivity to drunkeness, addiction to club life, low self esteem, and suicidal thoughts! Ever since I have been putting my trust in Him he has done miracle after miracle and he ceases to amaze me! Nigeria was no different!
For the two weeks while we were in Nigeria there wasn't one day God didn't surprise me!
Every day was a surprise from God, I didnt know what to expect. Our first experience was a village outreach. The people gathered in the venue where the village has community events. In Nigeria the major tribes are Igbo, Yoruba, and Housa. The people in the Osunu village were from the Igbo tribe. As the people came in I observed that most of the adults wore natives while the younger kids wore plain clothes. In addition there seemed to be more women than men as they registered on a paper and received a number for their names to be called for assessment of vitals (Blood pressure, temperature), a consultation from a doctor, medication, and pastoral counseling! Everything was FREE 99. Yes you heard me FREE! The system was efficient and flowed nicely! Everybody was delegated a task except me. I didnt see it as any negligence but I decided to take initiative and felt the Lord telling me to go speak to people. As I saw 3 young women congregate I seized the opportunity. I approached them, introduced myself, and we began talking about God. While we were conversing I asked them if they were "saved" or when they gave their lives to Christ. A young lady named Marrit answered yes, I was born Christian! I responded in a polite tone: how is that? She answered well I have been Christian since I was a little girl, my mom is a Christian. I began to explain salvation to her and told her that one must be born again in order to be a true Christian. When she understood salvation I asked her a simple question: would you like to accept Christ into your heart. She was skeptical and was a bit uneasy. I reassured her how her life was going to change as a result of her commitment to Christ. She agreed to say the prayer with me and gave her life to Christ! Her sister did so also! I felt an enormous amount of joy in my heart! After the outreach we shared stories and some of the ladies had sky rocketing blood pressures (200s). About five or so people gave their hearts to Christ! I didn't expect that! The next day it was twice as many villagers and more people helping out.
The Lord always has a twist in our lives. I had the privilege to meet Marit's Mom who claimed to be a born again Christian. She began to speak and she was like a fire-breathing dragon: the word she preached was intense! So intense that my missionary leader came over to me and asked me if everything was alright. I told him everything was ok. Although she was so humble, she was very passionate about the Lord that her speech and face showed it. In my whole year of being Christian I had never encountered somebody with such fervor, desire, and passion for Jesus. She briefly spoke about sanctification then began talking about persecution in the village and the spiritual warfare that exists. She pointed out two men who she identified as idolatrers (men who worshiped ancient gods and offered sacrifices). She began saying that they lash out against the Christians and seek to do harm against them by conjuring spirits and wishing horrible things upon them. Some of her family members developed these skin lesions as a result of their spells and demonic assaults. However through prayer and covering with the Blood of Jesus the demons fled! As I ministered to Marrit, her Mom, a friend, and a woman with a baby I heard a loud and uncanny noise in the back of the room! I turn to see what was all the commotion and I see a guy yelling in agony, twitching and shaking as if he just came out of an arctic pond. I speculated and thought it was a demonic possession. My speculation was confirmed when I asked uncle George (Missionary leader) if it was a demonic possession. He calmly answered yes and said"its a minor one though". One of the pastors on the deliverance team gently placed his hands on his neck and side and casted out the demon. I thought to myself if its a minor one I don't think I am ready for a major one lol! This was an incredible experience that strengthened my faith as the gospels where Jesus and the disciples casted out demons came to Life. This reminded me not to doubt the power and might of our great God. The authority vested on us through Christ allows us to do awesome things like cast out demons.
Later on that day I had a small conference with all the young men and boys in the village where I got their name, email, age, and any health complaints. The most common health complaint was worms in their stomachs. Most of them were still in the world and ranged from ages 9-17. One particular young man sticks out in my memory Onye which was an abbreviation for his Igbo name. He began telling me about the stress and social pressure he was experiencing from his family: he was the oldest (first born) and in the igbo culture the firstborn is in charge of the family and takes care of their financial, medical, spiritual, academic, and any other needs. However he was out of a job and had no way of providing for his younger brothers and sisters (juniors). As I gave him some funds it broke my heart to know he did not have the funds to sustain himself nor provide food or medical attention for his family. The worse part of the story is that all the weight beared on his shoulders! However the miraculous part of the story is that I prayed for him and I trust that GOD will provide. If its one thing that I have learned about God s I have drawn closer to him is that HE answers prayers. When we trust Him, have faith in Him, believe with our heart, and prophesy based upon His word He is faithful to grant us our desires if its in His Will!
Before we left Osunu Village Uncle George declared and decried prosperity and liberation from bondage in that whole village. He also rebuked the ancient Gods (idols) that people worshipped. He has forever shown me to claim and establish Godly authority over any house I enter. The power of the Lord was present and was so much more than I expected!
Although my trip didnt start there, these were one of the many adventures I had while in Nigeria. It was a whole new world, with new people, new customs, new culture, new politics, new social norms, new foods, and best of all a new faith experience! Before going to Nigeria I had many expectations and desires for the trip however I had no idea of how Powerful God was. Matter of fact prior to this year I did not think He could move the way He does. Ever since I accepted Jesus as my Lord in Savior (last summer) He has been doing incredible things in my life! He brought me out of the captivity to drunkeness, addiction to club life, low self esteem, and suicidal thoughts! Ever since I have been putting my trust in Him he has done miracle after miracle and he ceases to amaze me! Nigeria was no different!
For the two weeks while we were in Nigeria there wasn't one day God didn't surprise me!
Every day was a surprise from God, I didnt know what to expect. Our first experience was a village outreach. The people gathered in the venue where the village has community events. In Nigeria the major tribes are Igbo, Yoruba, and Housa. The people in the Osunu village were from the Igbo tribe. As the people came in I observed that most of the adults wore natives while the younger kids wore plain clothes. In addition there seemed to be more women than men as they registered on a paper and received a number for their names to be called for assessment of vitals (Blood pressure, temperature), a consultation from a doctor, medication, and pastoral counseling! Everything was FREE 99. Yes you heard me FREE! The system was efficient and flowed nicely! Everybody was delegated a task except me. I didnt see it as any negligence but I decided to take initiative and felt the Lord telling me to go speak to people. As I saw 3 young women congregate I seized the opportunity. I approached them, introduced myself, and we began talking about God. While we were conversing I asked them if they were "saved" or when they gave their lives to Christ. A young lady named Marrit answered yes, I was born Christian! I responded in a polite tone: how is that? She answered well I have been Christian since I was a little girl, my mom is a Christian. I began to explain salvation to her and told her that one must be born again in order to be a true Christian. When she understood salvation I asked her a simple question: would you like to accept Christ into your heart. She was skeptical and was a bit uneasy. I reassured her how her life was going to change as a result of her commitment to Christ. She agreed to say the prayer with me and gave her life to Christ! Her sister did so also! I felt an enormous amount of joy in my heart! After the outreach we shared stories and some of the ladies had sky rocketing blood pressures (200s). About five or so people gave their hearts to Christ! I didn't expect that! The next day it was twice as many villagers and more people helping out.
The Lord always has a twist in our lives. I had the privilege to meet Marit's Mom who claimed to be a born again Christian. She began to speak and she was like a fire-breathing dragon: the word she preached was intense! So intense that my missionary leader came over to me and asked me if everything was alright. I told him everything was ok. Although she was so humble, she was very passionate about the Lord that her speech and face showed it. In my whole year of being Christian I had never encountered somebody with such fervor, desire, and passion for Jesus. She briefly spoke about sanctification then began talking about persecution in the village and the spiritual warfare that exists. She pointed out two men who she identified as idolatrers (men who worshiped ancient gods and offered sacrifices). She began saying that they lash out against the Christians and seek to do harm against them by conjuring spirits and wishing horrible things upon them. Some of her family members developed these skin lesions as a result of their spells and demonic assaults. However through prayer and covering with the Blood of Jesus the demons fled! As I ministered to Marrit, her Mom, a friend, and a woman with a baby I heard a loud and uncanny noise in the back of the room! I turn to see what was all the commotion and I see a guy yelling in agony, twitching and shaking as if he just came out of an arctic pond. I speculated and thought it was a demonic possession. My speculation was confirmed when I asked uncle George (Missionary leader) if it was a demonic possession. He calmly answered yes and said"its a minor one though". One of the pastors on the deliverance team gently placed his hands on his neck and side and casted out the demon. I thought to myself if its a minor one I don't think I am ready for a major one lol! This was an incredible experience that strengthened my faith as the gospels where Jesus and the disciples casted out demons came to Life. This reminded me not to doubt the power and might of our great God. The authority vested on us through Christ allows us to do awesome things like cast out demons.
Later on that day I had a small conference with all the young men and boys in the village where I got their name, email, age, and any health complaints. The most common health complaint was worms in their stomachs. Most of them were still in the world and ranged from ages 9-17. One particular young man sticks out in my memory Onye which was an abbreviation for his Igbo name. He began telling me about the stress and social pressure he was experiencing from his family: he was the oldest (first born) and in the igbo culture the firstborn is in charge of the family and takes care of their financial, medical, spiritual, academic, and any other needs. However he was out of a job and had no way of providing for his younger brothers and sisters (juniors). As I gave him some funds it broke my heart to know he did not have the funds to sustain himself nor provide food or medical attention for his family. The worse part of the story is that all the weight beared on his shoulders! However the miraculous part of the story is that I prayed for him and I trust that GOD will provide. If its one thing that I have learned about God s I have drawn closer to him is that HE answers prayers. When we trust Him, have faith in Him, believe with our heart, and prophesy based upon His word He is faithful to grant us our desires if its in His Will!
Before we left Osunu Village Uncle George declared and decried prosperity and liberation from bondage in that whole village. He also rebuked the ancient Gods (idols) that people worshipped. He has forever shown me to claim and establish Godly authority over any house I enter. The power of the Lord was present and was so much more than I expected!
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